Top 5 Miami Restaurants for Date Night

Magic is always in the air in a city like Miami, so options are endless when it comes to choosing the perfect backdrop for a romantic night on the town with your significant other. But Valentines Day is almost upon us, and the pressure’s on to lock in that reservation for two at the restaurants with the best food and atmosphere for date night. Here, we narrow it down to our 5 favorite spots that never fail to serve up a great meal while setting the mood.

1 Casa Tua

For an intimate dining experience, bring your significant other to Casa Tua, the perfect place for lovebirds to sip fine wine under the lantern-lit canopy of the outdoor garden or cozy up in the restaurant's quaint dining room. The menu boasts country-style Italian dishes, like the Tagliolini with creme fraiche and caviar or the Ossobuco alla Milanese, with classic desserts like Tiramisu Casa Tua and the Warm Chocolate Meltdown with Caramelized Banana to share at the end of the evening.

2 Cecconi's

Amidst the vine-covered wooden trellises in the courtyard of Soho Beach House, find Cecconi's, a modern day classic Italian restaurant serving up hand-made pastas and fresh seafood. If you're going for decadence, order the agnolotti del plan with black truffle, or for a lighter option, try the ahi tuna tartare with capers, chili and avocado paired with a glass of chilled rosé. The spot is also ideal for happy hour between 4 and 7 pm Tuesday through Saturday, where couples can kick back at sunset and enjoy a special menu with lighter plates and killer cocktails.

3 Mandolin

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Mandolin was born from the shared vision of sharing simple, healthy food inspired by the traditional cuisine of Greece and Turkey that one couple had when turning a quaint Florida home into a gorgeous Aegean bistro. The restaurant's patio dining area makes the perfect backdrop for a date night filled with Mediterranean classics, like the grilled sea bass with olive oil, lemon and oregano or manti dumplings with minced lamb, garlic yogurt, aleppo pepper and burnt butter.

4 Matador Room

www.matadorroom.com

Created by world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the iconic Matador Room offers a menu inspired by Caribbean, Spanish, Latin and South American cuisines presented in a historic oval room at the Edition Hotel. It's hard to pick favorites from the restaurant's vibrant menu, but standouts include the avocado pizza topped with jalapeño, cilantro, lime and onion, and the roasted beef tenderloin with crunchy potatoes and tangy-spicy stewed peppers. Make sure to order a craft cocktail from the venue's atmospheric bar to kick off the night, such as the Copper Cup #3 with Elyx vodka, St. Germain, lime juice, cucumber and hibiscus cordial all served up in a copper pineapple mug.

5 Plant Food + Wine

Charlotte MacKinnon

The name of this chic, new-age eatery located in Edgewater precedes itself, as its eclectic menu created by renowned chef and restaurateur Matthew Kenney consists of mostly raw, 100% vegan cuisine. Don't let the spot's forward-thinking philosophy daunt you -- dishes like the cacio e pepe made from kelp noodles, peppery greens, green olive puree and sun-dried olives or the kimchi dumplings presented in a cilantro coconut wrapper with sesame foam are a hit with vegans and carnivores alike. A gorgeous serenity pool and picturesque guava groves make the venue's outdoor patio the perfect setting for a romantic night on the town.